"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" | ||||
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US commercial cassette single
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Single by Meat Loaf featuring Lorraine Crosby | ||||
from the album Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell | ||||
Released | September 15, 1993 | |||
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Recorded | Ocean Way Recording (Los Angeles, California, US) | |||
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Label | MCA | |||
Writer(s) | Jim Steinman | |||
Producer(s) | Jim Steinman | |||
Meat Loaf singles chronology | ||||
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"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" is a song written by Jim Steinman, and recorded by Meat Loaf with Lorraine Crosby. The song was released in 1993 as the first single from the album Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell. The last six verses feature a female singer who was credited only as "Mrs. Loud" in the album notes. She was later identified as Lorraine Crosby. However, she does not appear in the video, in which her vocals are lip-synched by Dana Patrick. Meat Loaf promoted the single with US vocalist Patti Russo.
The song was a commercial success, reaching number one in 28 countries. The single was certified platinum in the United States and became Meat Loaf's first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and on the UK singles chart, and was the best-selling single of 1993 in the United Kingdom. The song earned Meat Loaf a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo.
The timings in this article refer to the original album version. There are many shorter single and radio edits.
The song opens with a guitar played to sound like a revving motorcycle. Roy Bittan's piano begins to play along with the guitars. The vocals begin at the 1:50 point. The opening vocals are accompanied by piano and backing vocals. The song then becomes much louder as the band, predominantly piano, plays the main melody for twenty seconds. An instrumental section follows the first verse and chorus, lasting over 45 seconds, with piano playing the title melody, accompanied by guitar and wordless background vocals by Todd Rundgren, Rory Dodd and Kasim Sulton. The lead vocals recommence with another verse. The phrase "sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll" was changed to "Some days I just pray to the god of sex and drums and rock and roll" on the recording, although Meat Loaf occasionally sings the more familiar phrase in concert.